Diarrhea in Ferrets

Ferret Health Library

There are many different types and causes of diarrhea in ferrets. Relatively common among animals, it can cause loose stool, stomach pains and other gastrointestinal problems in ferrets. Diarrhea can also be a secondary symptom to another (sometimes more serious) condition.

Symptoms and Types

The symptoms of diarrhea will depend on the underlying cause and severity of the illness, but most often include watery or loose stools, abdominal swelling or distension, and lethargy. If it persists for long periods of time, it can even cause the ferret to become dehydrated.

Inflammatory and infectious diarrhea are two serious forms of the condition. They can lead to permanent changes in the ferret's abdominal and intestinal wall lining, causing malabsorption (an inability to absorb nutrients during digestion) and other similar problems.

Causes

There are many different causes for diarrhea in ferrets. It can be due to a poor diet, an adverse drug or environmental reaction, or just an upset stomach. Some of the more common causes for diarrhea in ferrets include:

Parasitic infections (e.g., coccidia, giardia and cryptospiridum sp., all which can also affect humans)

Metabolic disorders and systemic diseases – these are often chronic and debilitating causes for diarrhea.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will probably run a variety of laboratory tests to rule out certain causes of diarrhea and properly diagnose the source of the condition. Some clues that will help determine the cause include the duration of the diarrhea, the overall health of the ferret and whether or not it presents any other chronic disease symptoms.

Ferrets with underlying disorders may display such symptoms as anemia, increased serum protein and gastrointestinal bleeding. Some may have abnormally high or low levels of certain blood proteins. Fecal cultures done by the veterinarian may also reveal fungi, bacteria or parasites growing in the animal's stool.

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